Chiang agreed Thursday with the Chinese Professional Baseball League's Fuban Guardians on a development contract, CPBLStats.com reports.
A native of Taiwan, Chiang will return to his home country after spending the past nine years in affiliated ball. He never reached the majors across stints in the Cleveland and Detroit organizations, topping out at the Triple-A level in 2018 and 2019. The 27-year-old right-hander has been on the open market since November after electing free agency.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Option for rotation
Rotowire
Chiang could fill the Tigers' fifth rotation spot with Daniel Norris on the COVID-19 injured list and likely to miss the start of the season, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Detroit currently has Matthew Boyd, Spencer Turnbull, Jordan Zimmermann and Ivan Nova locked into rotation spots. Norris was likely to grab the fifth spot, but he'll now need to submit two negative test results before he's allowed to rejoin the team, so he could miss the start of the season. Michael Fulmer (elbow) is an option for the rotation, though the Tigers could put him in long relief initially after he missed all of last year following Tommy John surgery. Chiang is a starter by trade and made 26 starts for Triple-A Columbus in 2019, so he figures to be in the mix for a start or two, though either Norris or Fulmer could bump him to the bullpen at some point.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Makes MLB roster
Rotowire
Chiang will be a part of the Tigers' 60-man player pool this season.
Chiang was competing for a bullpen spot before spring training was suspended. He'll now provide depth for the Tigers after spending 2019 with Triple-A Columbus in the Cleveland farm system.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: On roster bubble
Rotowire
Chiang is competing for one of the final spots in what will likely be an expanded Tigers bullpen when the regular season is able to begin, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Chiang was widely expected to start the year at Triple-A Toledo when spring training began, but he could still make his way into the majors if teams get to work with expanded rosters when the regular season begins. Under such a scenario, Detroit will likely deepen its bullpen to deal with what figures to be a compacted schedule, and that could benefit Chiang.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Ready for spring debut
Rotowire
Chiang (side) is listed as an available option out of the bullpen for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
While it's unclear if Chiang will be used Thursday, his inclusion on the lineup card indicates that he's moved past the side soreness he experienced early in camp that has thus far prevented him from making his spring debut. A non-roster invitee, Chiang isn't expected to win a spot in the Tigers' Opening Day bullpen and will most likely get assigned to Triple-A Toledo to begin the campaign.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Not yet throwing
Rotowire
Manager Ron Gardenhire said Chiang is dealing with pain in his side or back and has not been throwing as a result, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
The severity of the issue is not yet known, leaving the right-hander without a timeline to resume throwing. Chiang signed a minor-league deal with the Tigers in December after posting a 5.15 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 128:57 K:BB across 131 innings with Triple-A Columbus in 2019.
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Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Gets minors deal from Detroit
Rotowire
Chiang signed a one-year, minor-league contract with the Tigers on Wednesday.
Chiang's deal includes an invitation to big-league spring training, though the Tigers are most likely viewing him as a candidate to slot into the rotation at Triple-A Toledo. The 26-year-old spent the entire 2019 campaign with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate in Columbus, submitting a 5.15 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 128 strikeouts over 131 innings.
